Attraction · Kyffhäuserland · Updated on 1 November 2026.

Kyffhäuserdenkmal in Kyffhäuserland

Kyffhäuserdenkmal is an attraction in Kyffhäuserland, Thuringia. This place has a story in the app. 3 of the 34 well-known points of interest nearby are within 1 km. Within 130 m you'll find a bench and a public toilet.

Directions in Google Maps

Kyffhäuserdenkmal in Kyffhäuserland, photo 2

Kyffhäuserdenkmal in Kyffhäuserland, photo 3

The story

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Story · Kyffhäuserdenkmal

You're standing at the Kyffhäuser Monument, high up in the Kyffhäuser hills of Thuringia. Look up at that massive stone tower. The whole monument is eighty-one metres tall, which makes it the third-largest monument in Germany. It was built between 1890 and 1896, right on top of the ruins of the medieval imperial castle of Kyffhausen.

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Photos

10 photos from Wikimedia Commons. In the app you add your own photo when you are there.

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Photo: PantheraLeo1359531 · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 4.0View the photo on Wikimedia Commons

Kyffhäuserdenkmal in Kyffhäuserland: large monument in Thuringia

The Kyffhäuserdenkmal, also known as the Barbarossadenkmal, is a large monument with a tower in the mountains of Thuringia. At 81 metres high, it is the third-largest monument in the country. It commemorates Wilhelm I and the legend of Barbarossa, who according to the story sleeps inside the mountain. The architect Bruno Schmitz designed it, and it was completed in 1896. You will find it in Kyffhäuserland. Nearby is the Reichsburg Kyffhausen castle, 45 metres up. At 91 metres stands the Kaiser-Botschaft memorial, and at 453 metres the memorial to Paul von Hindenburg.

What you can see at the Kyffhäuserdenkmal

On the east side sits Barbarossa. The sculptor Nikolaus Geiger carved him on the spot from blocks of sandstone. You see the emperor at the moment he wakes up. Above him, Wilhelm I sits on horseback as a general, wearing a spiked helmet and the IJzeren Kruis. Beside him stand a Germaanse krijger, representing defence, and a woman with a quill and an oak wreath, representing history. The group is almost 11 metres tall and weighs around 16 tonnes, yet the bronze is only 2 to 3 millimetres thick. In the walls you can see rough, knobbly stones. Inside, you climb 247 steps up the 57-metre tower to a viewing platform. From there you look as far as the Harz to the north and the Thüringer Woud to the south. The site also has the old keep of the castle, which houses 2 exhibitions. The Burchtmuseum tells the story of the castle, the Barbarossa legend and how the monument was built. At the castle well, you can look down into the deepest well in the world: 176 metres.

Toilet, drinking water and benches nearby

The nearest public toilet to the Kyffhäuserdenkmal in Kyffhäuserland is 126 metres away, near Naturschutzgebiet Rothenburg. It is free to use, wheelchair accessible and has a baby changing table. Within 500 metres, it is the only public toilet. Benches are also available near the Kyffhäuserdenkmal in Kyffhäuserland. The nearest bench is 54 metres away, also near Naturschutzgebiet Rothenburg, and within 500 metres there are 27 benches in total. According to our map, there is no water tap within 1 km of the Kyffhäuserdenkmal in Kyffhäuserland, so bring enough water for your walk yourself.

Walking and more to see nearby

You don't have to walk far to see more. The points of interest nearby are all within 453 metres, so you can easily combine them into a short walk. Reichsburg Kyffhausen castle is the closest, at 45 metres. Next, you reach the Kaiser-Botschaft vom 17. Nov. 1881 memorial, 91 metres away. The name refers to the date 17 November 1881. The Paul von Hindenburg memorial is the furthest away, so you walk there last. If you want to walk further, you can check the routes in the area from this point on the map in our app.

Facilities near Kyffhäuserdenkmal

The nearest pitstop of each kind within 1 km, as the crow flies. No water point, bike pump or honesty box within 1 km.

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Walks within 2 km

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Cycle routes within 5 km

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Salzstraße-RadrouteHard · 1.9 km away136.6 km

Explore further

More points of interest

Frequently asked questions

Where is the Kyffhäuser Monument?

The Kyffhäuserdenkmal is located in Kyffhäuserland in Thüringen, high up in the Kyffhäusergebergte. It was built on top of the ruins of the medieval imperial castle Kyffhausen.

Who sits on the horse at the Kyffhäuser Monument?

Sitting on the horse is Wilhelm I, depicted as a general with a spiked helmet and the IJzeren Kruis. The equestrian statue is almost 11 metres tall and weighs around 16 tonnes.

Is there drinking water at the Kyffhäuserdenkmal in Kyffhäuserland?

No, according to our map there is no water tap within 1 km of the Kyffhäuserdenkmal.

Are there benches at the Kyffhäuserdenkmal in Kyffhäuserland?

Yes, the nearest bench is 54 metres from the Kyffhäuserdenkmal, near Naturschutzgebiet Rothenburg. There are 27 benches within 500 metres.

Where is a toilet at the Kyffhäuserdenkmal in Kyffhäuserland?

The nearest public toilet is 126 metres from the Kyffhäuserdenkmal, near Naturschutzgebiet Rothenburg. It is free, wheelchair accessible and has a baby changing table.

How high is the Kyffhäuserdenkmal?

The Kyffhäuserdenkmal is 81 metres high, making it the third-largest monument in the country. Via 247 steps in the 57-metre tower you reach the viewing platform.